May 3, 2026

Goodness gracious, Happy Sunday, and can you believe it's May? Crazy times!

I wasn't going to write today, but it's been a while since I wrote a Scentsational Sunday note, and I have news I forgot to tell you last week! But first, an update on Buddy, plus how to adjust dosing of herbs.

Last week I wrote about a traumatic incident that happened with my horse, Buddy, and that the vet couldn't come out (too busy), and he was in no way able to be transported to an animal hospital 2 hours away.

So I did what needed to be done: I created an herbal and aromatic protocol for him. You can read my previous note about the incident HERE if you missed it.
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Well, my little man is nearly 100%, just a week and a half later. In fact, he is doing so well, he even mustered up the strength to show me a little crow hop yesterday when he was wanting his oats (the carrier for his medicine, which was mostly willow bark tincture).

A reader wrote in asking me how I decided to dose him. I'll share that now because my explanation may help you when you're making adjustments and decisions about how much to give:

When you're adjusting herbal doses with safe herbs, we go by weight of the human or animal. Most mammals can take most of the herbs humans take, although we need to be careful of cats, which are obligate carnivores, as well as any contraindications. (Always research if you're not sure.)

Buddy weighs about 1,000 pounds or so. An average adult human is roughly 150 pounds, and a "typical" dose of willow bark tincture is about 1/2 to 1 tsp for the average adult, depending on what's going on and how bad the pain or trauma is, as well as the strength of the tincture and the herbs included.

I was so worried about him and his symptom presentations (blindness, ataxia, not moving at all, laying down, shaking) that I decided to go heavy to get the anti-inflammatory benefits and pain relief started quickly.

Normally, if I were going with a 1 tsp dose, then for him, that would be approximately 7 teaspoons (rounded up). That equates to a little over 2 tablespoons of the willow bark tincture, which is 6 teaspoons. I opted to give him 3 tablespoons three times a day to start in oats with some honey.

I did this for several days, and by the fourth day, I decided to reduce the number of daily doses to twice a day. Now he's only down to once a day, and today, he is not getting any more so I can watch how his body reacts.

The blessing and power of God's herbal gifts to us for healing and food is that most medicinal herbs are quite safe and use is relatively flexible with commonsense and knowledge. And...medicinal plants grow all over the places! In fact, willow bark grows wild near us, right down at our pond, and horses (and deer, elk, bear, and others) are well-known to self-medicate with it.

It's time for as many of us humans as possible to re-learn what our ancestors knew how to do... Use the plants God gave to us in their pure form for our health and wellness.

Anyhow, I am (once again) thrilled, amazed, and blessed beyond reason by herbal medicine, and so is my little horse, Buddy. Tomorrow he and Ellie May will be going out on pasture to enjoy grass, a little late in the season, but we think he's healthy enough now.

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Aromatherapy Thoughts and an Update

It's Celebration Time!!!! 🎉 💃🏼 🎉

It just didn't seem right not to tell you...

HHH SOBAS (School of Botanical Arts & Sciences) is now an approved school with NAHA (National Association of Holistic Aromatherapists), the premier national certification board and organization for aromatherapy professionals in our country.

And...evidently, our Aromatherapy Specialist Certification program is so robust, it nearly meets Level 2 (Professional Level) standards. In fact the lady assigned to our school asked me if I meant to apply for the Level 2 designation instead of the Level 1 for specialists.

All we need to add is a couple more things, including a requirement of more case studies for students, a research paper assignment, and additional essential oil studies.

We're trying to figure out what this will look like in the future as far as pricing goes, because the amount of time it takes to monitor the case studies is quite a lot and requires a great deal of skill. That's why most legitimate Level 2 aromatherapy courses cost around $2,500.

Our goal for our current Aromatherapy Specialist program is to become an approved Level 2, professional level program by the end of this year or before.
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What this will mean for students is they can become Level 1 certified as a specialist within the studies for the Level 2 as soon as those requirements are met. (We already have quite a few certified Aromatherapy Specialists now). And then when the requirements are met for Level 2, then that certificate will be awarded too.

At the time our course becomes approved at the Level 2 designation, we will no longer offer a standalone Aromatherapy Specialist program. It will be rolled into the Professional Level Aromatherapy Certification (Level 2), which allows you to use the title "CA" behind your name.

Right now, our Aromatherapy Specialist Certification program is still only $697, the original "beta" price from our first and only launch in 2024.

We will be raising the price shortly, now that we're approved by NAHA, and we're definitely out of the "beta" period of instruction. The Beta price is going away....

The price will need to go up again significantly when we receive the Level 2 designation because of the additional staff needed to oversee case studies, research, and the work it takes to run this type of certification program. This should happen before the end of 2026.

Currently enrolled students will pay an additional fee for the Level 2 work to cover costs of the case study and research oversight, but it won't be anywhere near the difference in price between what students pay now and the difference in the new Level 2 cost. In fact, that upgrade price for currently enrolled students at the time we receive the Level 2 designation will just cover costs.

What I'm saying is that if you've been interested in learning aromatherapy and want a GREAT course that includes videos and a complete textbook (665 pages, currently), an outstanding case study manager and teacher (Jean McCabe, CA), and the best community ever (with additional live teachings), then the current price is a no-brainer.

For those using essential oils in their herbalism work, aromatic study is vital because out of all the herbal endeavors, misinformation in aromatherapy is rampant. If you have a business that utilizes essential oils or skincare products, then this education is a must.

​Check it out here. Pricing will increase before the end of this month or before, as soon as all the cost analysis is done.

Right now? At this moment?

It's still only $697.

NOTE: I'm not going to be sending a ton of reminders about this because the current price is ridiculously low.

If you've been considering a certification program in aromatherapy or just want to learn safe essential oil use for your family, friends, and community, the time to act is now.

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Encouragement and Inspiration

Many decades ago, I taught professional development to teachers for the fifth largest school district in the United States. The district sent a small team, which I was privileged to be a part of, to study new trends in teaching problem solving to students, and that week-long training was in Boston---quite a culture shock for a Southwest Desert girl.

What I remember that was most discomforting to me back then is that there were SO many people, we had to ride a subway to get to and fro, and VERY few people made eye contact or smiled at others.

I now understand that proper "crowded city etiquette" is to not make any eye contact or to smile. I lived in Las Vegas, Nevada at that time, and the culture there (being for tourists) is to smile a LOT, especially if you're part of that industry. Or, at least be somewhat friendly.

But I had a feeling that this behavior was more common than I thought, especially in super large cities that are more "impersonal" for lack of a better word.

It made me feel sad. And lonely.

Because I wanted to talk to some of these people. To ask them about their lives and the city. What's the best place to eat? Or was there a botanical garden someplace (the internet wasn't around back then).

Here's my advice for all of us, city, country, or otherwise:

Smile.

You'll help someone out with this small act. They may make it through their day more easily with that bright little moment of sunshine. It's a way of saying, "I see you. You matter. We share this world, and we're in this together."

It's kind and caring, and it's a way to take a small step in sharing God's love with a neighbor. Because even if they're a stranger, they're a neighbor. Everyone is a neighbor, and we are commanded to love them.

A smile and a little eye contact might make all the difference to that human you pass by.

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you." --- 1 Thessalonians 3:12

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Joyful Diffuser Blend

Here's a great little blend for your diffuser today! You probably have these essential oils, as they're not expensive and they are easy to find.

4 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

4 drops orange, sweet (Citrus sinensis)

2 drops cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) or clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

Just put the drops into your diffuser and mist into the air. Experience the delight! This blend will freshen your home, and all of these essential oils help to cleanse the air.

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Please forward this along to a friend who may enjoy it! If they (or you) would like my FREE Guide for the Best Essential Oils that Repel ALL the Bugs, just click through. Be sure to use the same email address you're using to receive this note, so you don't get doubles.

Enjoy!